Transcript National Security (could include terrorism)

Brief History of Policy in
Chronological Order
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For most of its history, the United States has followed a foreign policy of
isolationism (i.e. refusal to ratify League of Nations) during WWI.
The containment doctrine called for the United States to isolate the
Soviet Union and contain its advances and resist its encroachments.
Brinkmanship was to use nuclear weapons in order to deter other
nations (When the United States and the Soviet Union were on the
brink of war).
McCarthyism assumed that international communism was
conspiratorial, insidious, bent on world domination, and infiltrating
American government and cultural institutions.
Defense Expenditures grow as a result of arms race with Russia.
Détente, supported by Richard Nixon, sought a relaxation of tensions
between the superpowers.
1992 President Bush signed the North American Free Trade Agreement
with Canada and Mexico to eventually eliminate most tariffs among
North American countries.
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
Policymaking actions
• Acts such as the Goldwater-Nichols Act have often acted
to rework some of the most basic parts of the national
security system. For example, this act helped remove
the problems of interservice rivalry.
• Executive decisions such as the Bush doctrine of
preemptive war and Obama’s new view towards
terrorism which aims to replace the concept of “Islamic
Radicalism” with “terrorism” in general, also help shape
the National Security concept.
• The judiciary must ultimately be the one who decides
whether a “war without end” must end or whether the
increasingly advanced technologies to, for example, tap
into the wires of homes must be used. As always, the
constitutionality of such decisions must be determined.
Goldwater and Nichols
co-sponsor a Bill in 1986
aiming to reduce inter
military conflict.
Policy Example
Judiciary does nothing,
unless a problem or
Concern arises
Bill gets passed and
commissioned by Pres.
Reagan. It is used in
Gulf War to put Norman
Schwarzkopf as head
of Marine, Army, Navy,
and Air Force.
Role of Non-Gov. Groups
• Media – as always, influence from all directions whether it be
Congress, the President, or even the Judiciary
• United Nations – very active in peacekeeping in recent years
• NATO – agreed to combine military forces and to treat a war against
one as a war against all.
• Bipartisan Security Group – is dedicated to providing reliable
information and analysis of global security issues to Members of
Congress and their staff, with an emphasis on arms control,
nonproliferation, and disarmament.
• Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation – is a Washington,
D.C.-based non-profit, non-partisan research organization dedicated
to enhancing international peace and security in the 21st century.
Impact of Policy on Americans
• Increase in foreign troop number
• Possible increase in foreign threat, both
nuclear and conventional
• Increase in tax money to fund military
ventures
• Possible tapping/privacy invasions of
citizens
Current Status of Policy Decisions
• The Obama administration serves to set priorities inside the
government and communicate them to Congress, the
American people and the world.
• The US must revitalize its economic, moral and innovative
strength if it is to continue to lead the world.
• The report is the first that Obama has prepared under a
1986 law requiring the president to present Congress with
an annual strategic statement.
Analysis and Recs
The current status of the Obama
administration is one of very positive goals and
insights. Obama claims that he will try to bolster the
United States in terms of military strength and
reputation in that he wants to not only increase our
military prowess, but also simultaneously preserve
our national security and global influence.
One possible way this may be further
achieved is that if the United States tries to MAYBE
venture toward a LITTLE more isolationist policy as
before. This seems to keep most everyone happy
and maintain positive light in the global community.
Also, maybe a little less money and tax dollars ought
to be spent towards a “war on terror” or, as one
article put it, a war on something we can’t find.
Cites
• http://wps.ablongman.com/long_edwards_
government_11/0,7701,719676-,00.html
• http://www.bu.edu/law/central/jd/organizati
ons/journals/bulr/volume86n5/documents/
REINHARDTv.2.pdf
• http://www.state.gov/t/isn/135370.htm
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/05/27/AR2010052
701044.html